And the absolute natures or kinds are known absolute knowledge, no one is more likely than severally by the absolute idea of knowledge?
God to have this most exact knowledge?
Yes.
Certainly.
And we have not got the idea of knowledge?
But then, will God, having absolute knowledge, No.
have a knowledge of human things?
Then none of the ideas are known to us, be-Why not?
cause we have no share in absolute knowledge?
Because, Socrates, said Parmenides, we have I suppose not.
admitted that the ideas are not valid in relation Then the nature of the beautiful in itself, and to human things; nor human things in relation of the good in itself, and all other ideas which we to them; the relations of either are limited to their suppose to exist absolutely, are unknown to us?
respective spheres.
It would seem so.
Yes, that has been admitted.
I think that there is a stranger consequence And if God has this perfect authority, and per-still.
fect knowledge, his authority cannot rule us, nor What is it?
his knowledge know us, or any human thing; just Would you, or would you not say, that absolute as our authority does not extend to the gods, nor knowledge, if there is such a thing, must be a far our knowledge know anything which is divine, so more exact knowledge than our knowledge; and by parity of reason they, being gods, are not our the same of beauty and of the rest?
masters, neither do they know the things of men.
Yes.
Yet, surely, said Socrates, to deprive God of And if there be such a thing as participation in knowledge is monstrous.